IDENTIFY DIFFERENT TYPES OF ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS AND ESTIMATE TOTAL FUND REQUIRED FOR IMPLEMENTATION T.SUBRAMANI 1 1 Professor & Dean, Department of Civil Engineering, VMKV Engg College, Vinayaka Missions University, Salem, India ABSTRACT Salem is the fifth largest city with a population of 7.54 lakhs (2011) in Tamil Nadu. Local Authorities faced with great difficulties to identify required various road improvement projects. Repair or improvement works may have to be under taken on a basis which has to be decided based on socio-economic, administrative, technical, political factors etc., The identified road network selected for the study comprises 162 road links in Salem Corporation. Existing traffic condition, surface condition of carriageway, street lighting, footpath condition and drainage condition in the Salem Corporation has been studied in detail. Traffic volume count survey was conducted on the idendified 162 road links in Salem Corporation. Identify the type of transport facilities required for the road links. In Salem Corporation 44 road links required removal of onstreet parking and encroachment, 52 road links required widening of carriageway, 23 road links required traffic management measures with extrawidening to carry the existing traffic flow efficiently. Total fund required for identified various road improvement projects have been calculated as Rs.100.16 Crores Keywords Traffic, Road links, estimate, fund 1. INTRODUCTION - IMPORTANCE OF TRANSPORTATION IN URBAN DEVELOPMENT Transportation contributes to the economic, industrial, social and cultural development of any country. It is well recognized that transport performs a key role in achieving fast economic growth of dev eloping countries. Export and import, industry agriculture defence, social services (health, education), general administration, maintenance of law and order, exploitation of untapped resources, mobility of persons etc., are some of the many s of activity which are very closely linked to the availability of adequate transportation. Growth of urban s and nature extent of availability of various classes of labour force are influenced by the extent of development of transport facilities. This growth in term has a cause and effect i9mpact on transport services. Since increase in urban population demands better transportation facilities and a services. It may be necessary in the case of a country of India s vastness to provide transportation facilities in anticipation of demand, so that the transportation acts as a catalytic agent in development of different sectors. 2. OBJECTIVES OF THE PRESENT STUDY 1. To examine the existing transport infrastructure facility like roads in the selected Salem urban centre. 2. To conduct Traffic volume survey on the selected 162 road links in Salem Corporation 3. To identify the required road improvement projects in the selected urban centre. 4. To identify the traffic congested road links in Salem Corporation. 5. To find the extra widening required for the different road links to carry existing traffic volume. 6. To find the roads which require Traffic management measures with widening of carriageway. 7. To find the cost required to improve each road link with respect to various items of improvement. 3. METHODOLOGY 1. Summarize the findings and recommendations of various previous studies. 2. Identify and collect an relevant information required from local agencies such as demographic trends, map showing the existing land-use and growth trends, income and expenditure, road 267 P a g e
network details physical condition, traffic information. 3. Critically evaluate the data to understand the overall conditions of existing infrastructural facilities in the Salem urban centre. 4. Conduct traffic volume survey on identified 162 road links. 5. Analysis the data to identify the magnitude and complexity of the problems, using computer programs 6. Identify the type of road improvement projects require to meet the existing traffic. 7. Calculate the Fund required to improve each road link with respect to various items of improvement. 4. STUDY OF PAST AND PRESENT CONDITIONS IN SALEM CITY 4.1 SALEM GENERAL Salem is the fifth largest city in Tamil Nadu over an of 91.34 Sq.kms. Salem city is located at distance of 350 kms from a Chennai on the west, and 160 kms from Coimbatore and it got the fifth largest population of 7.54 lakhs as per 2011 census in Tamil Nadu.. It is situated at the trijunction of Bangalore, Trichirappalli and Chennai roads. The City is located at 11 40 rth and 78 10 on the East. The general topography is plain The city is surrounded by the hills viz. the shervarous and Nagarmalai on the rth, The Kanjamalai on the west, the Goodamalai on the East. 4.2 POPULATION GROWTH The population in Salem has grown at a rate of 23 percent per decade between 1951 and 1971, the rate has been lower for the decade 1971 1981 at 17 percent and 14 percent per decade between 1991 and 2011. Table.1 gives the growth of population within the Salem town. Population growth of Salem City Corporation given in Table 1. 4.3. EXISTING LAND-USE STRUCTURES The extent of Salem town is 91.34 Sq.km of this the developed is 4648 Hectares i.e. 48.71 percent of the total and undeveloped is 4894 hectares i.e. 51.29 per cent of the total. The Table 2. gives the existing land use details of Salem City Corporation & Figure. 1. is showing the existing land use details of Salem City Corporation. Table 1. Population growth of Salem City corporation population variation 1901 70621 - - 1911 59153 (-) 11468 (-) 16.24 1921 52244 (-) 6909 (-) 11.68 1931 102149 (-) 49935 95.58 1941 129702 27523 26.94 1951 202335 72633 56 1961 249145 46810 23.13 1971 308716 59571 23.9 1981 361394 52678 17.06 1991* 579951 218557 60.47 2001* 672330 92379 15.92 2011* 754000 81670 12.15 Figure.1. Existing land-use details of salem city corporation 4.4 EXISTING TRAFFIC SITUATION The traffic in Salem town is heterogeneous in nature comprising of slow moving vehicles such as hand carts, animal drawn vehicles, bicycle and fast moving vehicles such as mini cargo vans, Passenger vans Lorries, buses etc. In the absence of separate lanes for slow moving vehicles and cyclists all the vehicles are found to use the available narrow carriageway. The pedestrian side walks have been provided only near Collectorate. In almost all the main roads vendors occupy the road margins and side walks. Hence the pedestrians are deprived of the use of road margins and side walks and use the carriage way, causing hindrance to the free vehicle movement. This may be noticed more in the central of the old town comprising of Collectorate and Bus stand complex the main private companies. Year Salem town / corporation* Decade variation % of decade 268 P a g e
Table 2. Existing land use details of salem city Sl. Use Area in hectare s % to developed % to total Developed 1 Residential 3091 66.50 32.39 2 Commercial 461 9.92 4.83 3 Industrial 465 10.00 4.88 4 Education 316 6.80 3.31 5 Public and semi-public 315 6.78 3.30 Total developed 4648 100 48.71 Undevelope d Agricultural 6 A. Wet 1240 25.33 13.00 B. Dry 2465 50.36 25.83 C. Hillocks 728 14.89 7.63 7 Reserved 461 9.42 4.83 forest Total undeveloped Net total 9542 4894 100 51.29 100.0 0 5. IDENTIFIED ROAD NETWORK FOR THE PRESENT STUDY Salem district as a whole has only 10,133.7 km. of road, out of which 214.6 km are cement concrete roads, 5098.1 kms. are bituminous surfaced road and the remaining 4821 kms. are water Bound Macadam roads. The unsurfaced road of 2352.7 kms. also exist in the district. Salem Corporation has about 748.13kms. of surfaced roads under its control and maintenance as detailed below. The width of road ranges from 3.5 m to 14.0m in the major road network excluding the lanes and small roads. The details of the various categories of roads with their lengths in the town is show in Table. 3 Table.3 Types of roads with their length in Salem Corporation Sl. Category Road length (km) 1 Cement Concrete Super Roads 54.47 2 Black Topped Roads 628.17 3 Wbm Roads 17.04 4 Earthern Road 23.46 5 Others 24.66 Total Length of Municipal Roads 748.13 The arterial road network of Salem Chosen for the study consists of four major radial corridors originating from the city bus stand. These roads are Attur road in the east, Trichy road and Coimbatore road in the South and Omalur road in the rth west. In addition to these, there are a few secondary radial roads. One orbital corridor is identified and it consists of Shandipet road pallapatti main road and court road. Fig.2. shows the identified road network selected for the present study. 6. FIELD STUDIES TRAFFIC VOLUME SURVEY One of the fundamental measures of traffic on a road system is the volume of traffic using the road in a given interval of time. It is also termed as flow and is expressed in vehicles per hour. When the traffic is composed of number of types of vehicles, it is the normal practice to convert the flow into equivalent passenger car units (PCU), by using certain equivalence factors. The flow is then expressed as PCU per hour. Figure.2. Identified road network of Salem city Corporation A knowledge of the vehicular volume using a road network is important for understanding the efficiency at which the system works at present and 269 P a g e
the general quality of service offered to the road users knowing the flow characteristics, one can easily determine whether a particular section of a road is handling traffic much above or below its capacity. If the traffic is heavy, the road suffers from congestion with consequent loss in journey speeds. Lower speeds cause economic loss to the community due to time lost by the occupants of the vehicles and the higher operational cost of vehicles. Congestion also leads to traffic hazards. Volume counts are, therefore, indicators of the need to improve the transport facilities and are in an invaluable tool in the hands of transport planner. In order to update the data base of the present existing traffic conditions, Traffic volume counts on selected road links in the urban centre were conducted. The detailed field survey programme was organized for 14 hours between 6 AM -8 PM. The block period is 15 minutes. Traffic volume count survey was conducted on the 162 road links and shown in Figure 3. With the help of these data the peak hour of traffic flow on each road link has been identified. 7. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS Physical Characteristics of road links in the network studied by field visits during the study and updated to the present existing condition. The study of physical characteristics comprises of surface condition, lighting condition footpath condition and drainage condition. 8.1 List Of Data Collected The following data have been collected for Salem city i. Linkwise road name details The arterial road network which has been studied is broken into number of links. A link is defined as one-way part of the route between two intersections. The number of road links analyzed in the study is 162.The road links studied in the urban centres are given in Fig.3. ii. Linkwise Physical informations. Following Physical information are collected for 162 road links. The following details of overall road links were collected for the study Length of road links Carriageway width Footpath width Right of way Onstreet parking and width covered Encroached. iii. Linkwise Traffic Informations Linkwise peak hour traffic flow in road links are calculated from the Traffic volume count survey iv. Linkwise Existing physical conditions Linkwise existing physical conditions, surface condition, lighting condition, footpath condition and drainage condition in 162 road links are collected. Surface condition, lighting condition, drainage condition and footpath conditions are graded as very poor, poor and fair. Details of existing landuse along the roadside, type of encroachment and onstreet parking on all road links are observed. 9. PROCEDURE ADOPTED TO IDENTIFY THE CONJESTED ROAD LINKS The extent of the traffic volume on the road links determined from the traffic volume survey conducted at different locations. The equivalent PCU value of the peak hour traffic volume on the road links has been calculated. The equivalent PCU factors adopted for various vehicles are shown in Table.4 Figure 3. Traffic volume count survey points on the 162 road links 8. ROAD NETWORK DETAILS Road network details collected from directorate of Town and Country Planning, Salem Corporation & Salem Local Planning Authority. 10. ROAD LINK CAPACITY The step by step procedure adopted for calculating road link capacity is as follows. Table.4 The Equivalent PCU Factors Adopted For Various Vehicles Vehicle PCU Bus, Lorry/Truck 3 270 P a g e
Car / Van 1 Two wheeler 0.5 Auto rickshaw 0.6 Cycle 0.4 Cycle rickshaw 1.5 HD cart 4.5 BD cart 8 1. The absolute capacity of a road link is assumed to be between 1300 and 1500 PCU Per hour per lane. Adopting the average of 1400 PCU per land width of 3.5 m, the absolute capacity is taken as 400 PCU per hour per metre width of carriageway. 2. The absolute capacity (400 PCU per metre) multiplied by the effective carriageway width gives the actual capacity of the road link. The effective carriageway width has been calculated by reducing the actual width of the carriageway due to different factors affecting the capacity. 3. The factors affecting the capacity are parking, encroachment and landuse. The reduction due to parking and encroachment is shown in Table.5. Predominant land use along the road link affects the capacity and the reduction in capacity due to this factor is shown in Table.6. Calculated the effective width of carriageway considering the above three factors (Parking, encroachment, landuse). The capacity of each road link has been calculated by using the physical information s (width of carriageway, parking space, encroachment) is follows. Effective width of of carriageway = Actual width of carriageway x (1-landuse/ 100)) - Parking space - Encroachment. Capacity of road link = Effective width of carriageway x 400 PCU Table.5 The Reduction Due To Parking And Encroachment Type of parking \ Severity of Encroachment Reduction (m) Parking prohibited on either side 0 Parking permitted on one side 2.5 Parking permitted on either side 5 Encroachment 0 Marginal Encroachment 1 Substantial Encroachment 2 Table.6. Reduction in capacity due to land use Predominant land use Reduction (per cent) Open space 0 Residential 5 Institutional 10 Industrial 15 Commercial 30 11. LEVEL OF SERVICE OF ROAD LINKS Comparison of updated traffic volume and capacity of road link give a volume capacity ratio. According to the volume capacity ratio the level of service of the road links are identified. It led to the identification of the degree of congestion in each road link. Table 7. Level of service adopted in this study Volume capacity ratio Level of service < 0.6 A 0.6-0.7 B 0.7-0.8 C 0.8-0.9 D 0.9-1.0 E 1.0 < F Table.8. Shows the Level of Service adopted corresponding to the volume capacity ratio. For design purpose Level of Service C is suitable for urban streets (Kadiyali L.R 2007). The road link with Volume Capacity ratio more than 0.8 are classified as congested links. The effective width of carriageway, capacity, volume capacity ratio and Level of Service of all road links in Salem City corporation calculated Identify the type of improvements required for road links to carry existing traffic flow Road links which are having volume capacity ratio more than 0.8 are considered as a congested links and these road links required improvements to carry existing traffic volume. The following procedure is adopted to identify the required improvement. Road links which are having volume capacity ratio more than 0.8 reflect that road link will have insufficient width of carriageway to carry existing traffic. Instead of providing extra widening of carriageway it has been assumed that to prohibit the 271 P a g e
existing on street parking and remove the encroachment. After removing on street parking and encroachment the effective width of carriageway, capacity and volume capacity ratio have been calculated. If the volume capacity ratio is less than 0.8 then that road link required only removal of on street parking and encroachment to carry existing traffic flow. If the volume capacity ratio after removing the on street parking and encroachment is more than 0.8 then that road links required a widening of carriageway. For providing extra widening the available extra width has been calculated from rightof- way. If the right of way is not available to widen the carriageway then that road link required traffic management measure. If right of way have space then widen the carriageway up to its full width leaving one metre on each side for pedestrian movements. Again the effective width of carriageway and volume capacity ratio has been calculated. If the volume capacity ratio more than 0.8 then that road link required traffic management measure with extra widening. If the volume capacity ratio less than 0.7 than it reflect that extra widening width has been calculated by assuming average volume capacity ratio of 0.75. 1.After identifying th extrawidening width provided to carriageway for carrying existing traffic volume, the cost required for provide the extrawidening has been calculated as follows. Cost for widening the carriageway = Length of road link (m) x Extrawidening width (m) x 36 /(3.5 x 1000) lakhs. 2. Road links having poor and very poor grades in various road attributes like drainage condition, surface condition, street lighting condition and footpath condition are required improvements.the cost required for improve various items are has been calculated as follows. a. Cost for resurfacing the carriageway = Length of the road link (m) x carriage way width (m)x Rs.160/100000 lakhs. b. Cost of upgrading of kerb and footpaths = Length of the footpath (m) x footpath width (m) x 29.5/(1.5 x1000) lakhs. c. Cost for improving drainage condition = Length of the road link (m) x 51/1000 lakhs. d. Cost for improving street ligting = Length of the road link (m) x 28.5/1000 lakhs 12.COST ESTIMATE FOR IMPROVING VARIOUS ROAD ATTRIBUTES Cost required for providing extra widening To improve the road surface, street lighting, footpath condition and drainage condition have been calculated Unit cost for different type of improvements are assumed as given in the following Table.8. These are approximate unit costs of construction based on the imformation given by DHRW for completed projects. Table.8. Assumption On Unit Cost Of Estimation. S. Item of work Cost 1 2 Resurfacing the carriage way Upgrading of kerb and footpaths 3 Drainage works 4 Street lighting 5 Widening of carriage way Rs. 160/- per sq.m. Rs 29.50 Lakhs / km length / 1.5M width Rs.51 Lakhs for 2 sides / km Rs.28.5 lakhs / Km Rs.36 lakhs / 3.5 m width / km length The step by step procedure used for calculating the cost is follows. 13. CONCLUSION An important product of the analysis is the development of a program which outlines the improvements to be carried out. From the study made, the type of improvement required to the road links to carry the existing traffic flow has been identified. Total number of road links requiring various types of improvements in Salem city corporation to carry existing traffic flow is shown in Table.9. Table.9. Types of improvements required to carry existing traffic flow Total Sl. Type of Improvement Number of Required Road links 1. Removal of onstreet parking and encroachment 44 2. Widening of carriageway 52 3. Traffic Management Measure required with extrawidening of carriageway 23 272 P a g e
Fund required to improve surface condition,of carriageway, footpath condition, street lighting, drainage condition and widening of carriageway have been calculated. Total Cost required for improving various attributes of all road links in major urban centre is 100.16 Crores and given in Table.10.. Table.10.Cost required for improving various attributes of all road links S. Item of work Cost in Crores 1 Resurfacing the carriage way 13.79 2 Upgrading of kerb and footpaths 9.9 3 Drainage works 37.37 4 Street lighting 14.2 5 Widening of carriage way 24.9 14. REFERENCES [1]. DTCP (1986), Short term improvement program ME Traffic and Transportation study for Coimbatore, Madurai, Trichy and Salem, DTCP, Tamil Nadu [2]. Hanspeter Georgi (1973),`Cost- Benefit Analysis and Public Investments in Transport: A Survey, First Edition, Butter Worths (Publishers),London. [3]. Kadiyali.L.R.(2007),`Traffic Engineering and Transport Planning, 7 th edition, Khanna publishers, Delhi. [4]. Khanna S.K Justo C.E.G (2010),` Highway Engineering,9 th edition, Nem Chand and Bros. publishers, Roorkee(U.P) Lindsay R. Peat (1982),`Practical Guide to DBMS selection, Walter de Grawyter, New York. [5]. Meyer M.d.Miller E.J (1984),`Urban Transportation Planning, Mcgraw Hill series, New Delhi. [6]. Subramanian P. (1990),`Capacity restrained trip assignment model for Madras City, ME Urban Engineering Thesis, Madras 600025. [7]. V.N.Vazirani & S.P.Chandola, `Transportation Engineering Vol.I, 5 th edition, Khanna Publishers, New Delhi [8]. Dr.L.R.Kadyali & Dr.N.B.Lal,` Principles and Practices of Highway Engineering, 5 th edition, Khanna Publishers, New Delhi [9]. B.L.Gupta & Amit Gupta `Highway and bridge Engineering 3 rd edition Standard Publishers Distributers, New Delhi [10]. C.Jotin Khisty & B.Kent Lall,` Transportation Engineering 3 rd edition, PHI Learning Private Limited, New Delhi [11]. Gurcharan Singh, `Highway Engineering 5 rd edition Standard Publishers Distributers, New Delhi [12]. R.K. Khitoliya, `Principles of Highway Engineering 1 st edition, Dhanpat Rai Publishing Company, New Delhi. [13]. DTCP (1999), Comprehensive Traffic and Transportation Study for Salem`, Pallavan Transport Consultancy Services Ltd., Chennai, Tamil Nadu. 273 P a g e